Concerts

Concerts and live music in Rotterdam: Venues and where to hear music

Rotterdam has a varied live music scene, ranging from major international concerts to smaller venues specialising in jazz, indie, rock, hip hop, soul, alternative music and emerging artists.

In this guide you will find the main concert venues in Rotterdam, the type of music you can hear at each one and links to their official programmes to check upcoming concerts.

🎵 Live Music and Concerts in Rotterdam
VENUE	BEST FOR	AREA
Rotterdam Ahoy	Major concerts and international artists	Rotterdam Zuid
De Doelen	Classical music, jazz, world music and major productions	City Centre
Annabel	Pop, hip hop, electronic music and national and international artists	Rotterdam Centraal
Rotown	Indie, alternative, rock and emerging artists	Nieuwe Binnenweg
BIRD	Jazz, soul, R&B, hip hop, funk and world music	Rotterdam Noord
Baroeg	Metal, punk, hardcore, rock and industrial	Lombardijen
V11	Indie, alternative and intimate concerts	Wijnhaven
Jazzcafé Dizzy	Jazz and live music in an intimate setting	Nieuwe Binnenweg
Grounds	World music, jazz and international artists	Delfshaven

Which concert venue to choose by music genre

Rotterdam’s music venues have very different profiles. This table can help you decide where to look for concerts depending on the type of music you enjoy.

🎶 Where to Hear Live Music in Rotterdam
IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR…	RECOMMENDED VENUES
🌟 Major international artists	Rotterdam Ahoy
🎻 Classical music and major productions	De Doelen
🎤 Pop, hip hop and electronic music	Annabel / BIRD
🎸 Indie and alternative	Rotown / V11
🎷 Jazz, soul and funk	BIRD / Jazzcafé Dizzy
🤘 Metal, punk and hardcore	Baroeg
🌍 World music and international sounds	Grounds / BIRD / De Doelen

Major concerts in Rotterdam

Rotterdam Ahoy

Rotterdam Ahoy is the main choice for large concerts by international artists. In addition to music, the complex hosts festivals, sporting events, exhibitions and other large-scale events.

📍 Address: Ahoyweg 10, Rotterdam Zuid.
🎟️ Programme and tickets: Rotterdam Ahoy official website.

De Doelen

De Doelen is one of Rotterdam’s main concert complexes and is located next to Rotterdam Centraal and Schouwburgplein. Its programme includes classical music, jazz, world music and a wide variety of concerts and special productions.

The complex has several halls with different entrances around Schouwburgplein, Kruisplein and Karel Doormanstraat.

📍 Area: Schouwburgplein / Kruisplein, next to Rotterdam Centraal.
🎟️ Programme and tickets: De Doelen official website.

Annabel

Annabel is one of the best-known venues in central Rotterdam for pop, hip hop, electronic music and national and international artists. Its location close to Rotterdam Centraal also makes it particularly easy to reach by public transport.

📍 Address: Schiestraat 20, 3013 AH Rotterdam.
🎟️ Programme and tickets: Annabel official website.

Indie, Rock and Alternative music

Rotown

Rotown, on Nieuwe Binnenweg, is one of Rotterdam’s best places to discover indie, alternative and rock bands as well as emerging artists. It is a relatively intimate venue and a good choice for smaller concerts.

📍 Address: Nieuwe Binnenweg 19, 3014 GB Rotterdam.
🎟️ Programme and tickets: Rotown official website.

V11

V11 offers one of Rotterdam’s most unusual live music experiences: concerts take place aboard a red former lightship moored in Wijnhaven. Its programme is particularly associated with indie, alternative rock and emerging artists.

📍 Address: Wijnhaven 101, Rotterdam.
🎟️ Programme and tickets: V11 official website.

Baroeg

Baroeg is Rotterdam’s specialist venue for heavier and alternative music. Its programme focuses on rock, metal, hardcore, punk, psychobilly, electro, industrial and related genres.

In 2026 Baroeg opened its new building at the same Spinozaweg location, continuing its long tradition as one of Rotterdam’s key alternative music venues.

📍 Address: Spinozaweg 300, 3076 ET Rotterdam.
🎟️ Programme and tickets: Baroeg official website.

Jazz, soul and world music in Rotterdam

BIRD Rotterdam

BIRD combines a live music venue, club and restaurant. Its programme includes jazz, soul, R&B, hip hop, funk, reggae, Latin music and other international styles.

📍 Address: Raampoortstraat 24/26/28, 3032 AH Rotterdam.
🎟️ Programme and tickets: BIRD official website.

Jazzcafé Dizzy

Jazzcafé Dizzy is one of Rotterdam’s long-established places for live jazz in a small and intimate setting. It is a good choice if you prefer live music without visiting a large concert hall.

📍 Address: ‘s-Gravendijkwal 127, 3021 EK Rotterdam.
🎟️ Programme: Jazzcafé Dizzy official website.

Grounds

Grounds, in Delfshaven, focuses particularly on world music, jazz and national and international artists. It is a good place to discover musicians and styles outside the major commercial circuits.

📍 Address: Pieter de Hoochweg 125, Rotterdam.
🎟️ Programme and tickets: Grounds official website.

How to find concerts in Rotterdam

Concert programmes change constantly, so the most reliable way to find concerts in Rotterdam this week is to check the official event calendars of the venues listed in this guide.

For festivals, outdoor concerts and other music events, you can also check our Rotterdam events calendar.

Tips for buying concert tickets

Book early: popular concerts and smaller venues can sell out quickly.
Check the venue website first: this is where you will find current times, access information, possible programme changes and other details about the concert.
If a concert is sold out: use established resale platforms and always check the organiser’s or venue’s resale conditions before buying. TicketSwap is one of the resale platforms commonly used in the Netherlands.

Besides concerts, you also have these options in Rotterdam